The Gauhati High Court grants bail to Amritprava Mahanta, an accused in the Zubeen Garg death case, after noting that none of the 250 witnesses examined during investigation said she served, administered or forced alcohol on him. The charges are allegations, the trial is pending and the presumption of innocence applies.
Guwahati: After almost a year in undertrial detention, Amritprava Mahanta, referred to as A-4 in the order, has been granted bail by the Gauhati High Court in the case over the death of Assamese singer Zubeen Garg in Singapore. The Court’s observations are confined to the bail proceedings, the allegations against her are untested and the Court has expressed no view on the merits of the trial [Amritprava Mahanta v. State of Assam].
The order was passed by a single judge, Justice Pranjal Das. The material available does not state the date of the order or the case number.
What the Court found
Neither the investigation materials nor the trial evidence, the Court found, disclosed a prima facie case against Mahanta. Of the 250 witnesses examined during investigation, none said she served, administered or forced alcohol on Garg, and the testimony of the 124 prosecution witnesses examined at trial did not substantiate the allegation. Nothing showed that she organised the Singapore visit, arranged the yacht trip or encouraged Garg to swim without a life jacket.
The Court recorded:
The prima facie case of A4 being involved in conspiracy to murder the victim is not made out
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The Court also weighed her nearly year-long detention, the absence of criminal antecedents and the statutory provisions on bail for women, observing that it would be a travesty of justice to deny her bail at this stage. A court has to be conscious of society’s sense of justice, it added, but cannot be captive to it.
The allegations against her
Zubeen Garg died in Singapore on 19 September 2025 after an incident during a yacht trip. The Criminal Investigation Department of Assam Police registered the case, and seven persons were eventually chargesheeted. The prosecution alleges that Mahanta took part in a conspiracy to murder Garg by supplying him alcohol despite knowing about his medical condition, including epilepsy and seizures. The trial is under way.
Terms of release
Mahanta must furnish a bail bond of Rs 50,000 with two sureties, cooperate with the trial, not influence witnesses and not travel abroad without permission.
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What the order reaffirms
Bail, the order reaffirms, turns on the prima facie material and the length of detention, not on public sentiment. The Court has stated that its observations will not affect the trial, which continues against the accused. All allegations remain untested.
Case Details: Amritprava Mahanta v. State of Assam (case number not available); Gauhati High Court; date of order not stated.
Bench: Justice Pranjal Das, Gauhati High Court. Appearances: Senior Advocate AK Bhuyan with Advocates N Choudhury and NR Sharma for Mahanta; Senior Advocate and Special Public Prosecutor Z Kamar with Assistant Special Public Prosecutor P Dutta for the State.